Department: Programs
Reports to: VP of Programs & Strategy
FLSA Status: Exempt
Direct Reports: 5
 

ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW

Foundation for a Just Society (FJS) envisions a world where all people are equally valued and lead self-determined lives. FJS advances the rights of women, girls, and LGBTQI people and promotes gender and racial justice by ensuring those most affected by injustice have the resources they need to cultivate the leadership and solutions that transform our world.

FJS makes grants to local, national, regional, and global organizations and networks. Our portfolios are Francophone West Africa, Mesoamerica, South and Southeast Asia, the US Southeast, and Global. Additionally, FJS has a small New York portfolio. FJS supports efforts that advance long-term, structural change and meet immediate needs that enable women, girls, and LGBTQI people most affected by injustice to be leaders, strategists, and agents of change. FJS’s current annual budget is $76.4 million.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Head of Regional Programs (HRP) is a new role, created to ensure alignment within FJS’s grantmaking and to deeply integrate grantmaking with other teams. The HRP will manage our regional grantmaking programs operationally and strategically to ensure movements that advance the rights of women, girls, and LGBTQI people have the resources they need to thrive. And they will join a new leadership cohort at FJS, collaborating to support staff and leadership as the foundation grows in complexity. The HRP will report to the Vice President of Programs & Strategy and oversee a team of 10, directly managing three program officers and two senior program officers.

The ideal candidate is an experienced grantmaker, strategic thinker, and leader who inspires and motivates team members through a management style that centers collaboration and relationship building, prioritizes leading by example, and incorporates ongoing feedback. This is a full-time position that requires international and domestic travel (approximately 10%). 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES + RESPONSIBILITIES

Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Leadership

• Provide strategic leadership, vision, and operational oversight of all regional strategies and grantmaking that advance the rights of women, girls and LGBTQI people.
• Work in close collaboration with the Head of Grants Management, Head of Communications and Philanthropic Advocacy, Head of Monitoring Evaluation and Learning, and Head of People and Culture on overall management of programs and operations at FJS. As a new leadership cohort at FJS, Heads will work collaboratively, building processes and practices, and managing their teams through a period of organizational change. This work will include integrating the MEL agenda into the work of regional programs, promoting innovation that ensures our grantmaking operations align with our values and respond to changing needs in the landscape of our movements, and facilitating collaboration with communications.

Management and Team-Building

• Manage regional programs team; directly supervise a total of five program and senior program officers.
• Inspire, mentor, and motivate team members through good example, personal involvement, and clear and actionable feedback.
• Lead team culture-building initiatives, including team gatherings and team development.
• Lead recruitment, training, and professional development of team members; proactively identify opportunities for growth internally and externally for POs and PAs.
• Develop, manage, and monitor progress of regional program team budgets and work plans.

Program Development and Implementation

• In partnership with the VP of Programs & Strategy and Head of MEL, develop, adopt, and monitor concrete and realistic regional program objectives that align with FJS’s mission, vision, values, and strategies.
• In collaboration with the Head of Grants Management, monitor, evaluate, and fine-tune grantmaking processes and procedures to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.
• In collaboration with the Head of Comms and PA, contribute to FJS’s philanthropic advocacy by sharing analyses on women’s, girls’, and LGBTQI rights movements within key NGO and funder spaces.
• Review grant summaries and oversee grant recommendation process for five annual dockets.
• Produce updates on FJS grantmaking trends and developments for internal and external audiences.
• In collaboration with the VP of Programs & Strategy, build effective relationships and alliances with peer donors, grantees, and other stakeholders, and represent FJS to external audiences. 

QUALIFICATIONS

• A passionate belief in and deep alignment with FJS’s mission, vision, and values.
• Sophisticated understanding of women’s/LGBTQI rights or social justice movements, with an emphasis on the leadership of women, girls, and LGBTQI people from marginalized communities. Strong political analysis and understanding of intersectionality in movements and organizational practice.
• Minimum five years of experience managing teams made up of staff from diverse backgrounds; able to demonstrate strong experience supporting staff development.
• Minimum of seven years in grantmaking and demonstrated expertise in applying good grantmaking practices that align with FJS’s values.
• Minimum seven years of progressively responsible management experience in women’s/ LGBTQI rights or social justice organizations; preference for experience in the Global South.
• Experience navigating and guiding teams through organizational change; an embrace of ambiguity with flexibility and creativity.
• Experience leading budgeting processes and participating in learning, monitoring, and evaluation processes.
• Ability to adeptly manage multiple projects and priorities, simultaneously and precisely.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills (i.e., facilitation, public speaking).
• Strong ability to maintain tact and confidentiality at all times.
• Eligibility to work in the United States.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally.

LOCATION 

FJS staff are expected to work from the New York City office 2-3 days a week. Under rare circumstances, FJS has considered remote staff.

PREFERRED ASSETS

Fluency in Spanish and/or French. 

COMPENSATION AND CULTURE

Salary range: $195,440 – $244,300, depending on experience. Salary range will be adjusted for cost-of-living differences in locations outside of New York City.

FJS offers a benefits package that includes:  

• 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance for all eligible employees and their spouses, domestic partners, and eligible dependents.
• Paid vacation days, and closed Christmas Eve through New Year’s Day.
• 401(k) retirement plan (with generous employer match). 
• 100% employer-paid life insurance, supplemental short-term disability, and long-term  disability. 
• Generous parental leave with full salary continuation.
• Educational support benefits – tuition reimbursement, student loan repayment, dependent  tuition assistance.
• Supplemental benefits for adoption, reproductive health, surrogacy, and transgender and intersex health. 

Application Deadline: Friday, May 10, 2024

FJS is committed to cultivating an organizational culture where everyone is able to bring their full, authentic selves to work. The foundation believes a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace is one where all employees, no matter their gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, sexual  orientation, gender identity, gender expression, education or disability, are valued and respected.